Iran has now confirmed that missiles are also part of the attack launched on Israel. Unlike drones, which will take hours to reach Israeli airspace, missiles are a much more serious move. However, it also bears reminding that Israel’s Iron Dome has proved a very effective defense system.
The Iranian drone move came hours after its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized an Israel-linked container ship near the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
Special forces boarded the MSC Aries from a helicopter and directed it toward Iranian territorial waters, the Islamic Republic News Agency said. The ship’s beneficial owner is Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer’s group, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
US naval forces may be called on to help shoot down any incoming drones. Two Navy destroyers, the USS Carney and USS Arleigh Burke, are in the region and have air-defense systems capable of shooting down attack drones and missiles.
Shortly before news that Iran had started firing drones at Israel, a short video speech by Benjamin Netanyahu was posted on his X handle. There, the prime minister said Israel had been preparing for years for a possible direct attack by Iran and its defense systems were deployed and prepare for any scenario. Here’s a link to that video and the official translation that accompanied it.
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